Wondering how much does it cost to sell a house? Well, you have come to the right place. We will go over all the types of costs related to selling a house. It is important to read until the end since every house sale can be different, and the costs may differ. So it is important to be aware and understand the costs that apply to your specific situation. Once you are done and you have understood the costs related. Feel free to use our free house sale calculator expenses.
Usually, the traditional realtor fees circle around between 6 – and 7 percent (Unless using Our Property Team). However, these are not the only expenses you will face as a seller. Since this fee does not cover other costs. These expenses may vary depending on where you live.
Table of Contents
- Before listing: How much does it cost to sell a house
- Listing your home: How much does it cost to sell your house
- Closing the deal: How much does it cost to sell a house
- Relocating: How much does it cost to sell a house
- In Conclusion: How Much Does it Cost to Sell a House
Before listing: How much does it cost to sell a house
Landscaping
The outside of your home is almost as important as the inside. Think about it, when you are looking for homes, the very first picture you see (usually) is of the face of the home. Think about all those houses you did not even click on because the picture did not entice you. Costs of landscaping vary depending on the size of the job, and the amount of resources landscapers will need to complete it.
Home repairs
You should try and fix everything that you are aware of that is malfunctioning. Especially considering that you will have to write them down on the disclosure agreement if you don’t, and the buyer’s agent will for sure use this information to gain room for negotiation. Even if it is something tiny and insignificant to you.
Houses wear over time, and there is not much we can do about it. So make sure to give it at least a nice coat of fresh paint, fill holes in the wall, etc… This also varies a lot depending on the home’s condition, and if you hire someone to do it or you do it on your own. But this is an extremely important part of the process when you ask yourself, “How much does it cost to sell a house?”
Improvement
It is highly recommended to make improvements to the home. Especially when you want to get top dollar for it. A lot of people do not realize that doing several things that can be “inexpensive” for you. It can bring up the price of your home to tens of thousands of dollars. At the end of the day, we all want to make smart decisions with our money. And improving our house before selling it is definitely one of them. However, there are things that matter more than others, or in other words, some improvements bring the value of your property more than others. And it is not necessarily based on “how much you spent doing it.” For example.
The time an “upgrade” wasn’t.
One time, I personally met a very nice older gentleman looking to sell his house and downsize since the kids had moved out, and the house became “too big” for him and his wife. He was determined to sell his house for $1,000,000 (one million dollars). Even though all the appraisals were coming out under $700,000 (seven hundred thousand). I should mention he did stonework for a living.
The problem was that even though his house was very nice and big, and did not really have any neighbors nearby. He had built, with his own hands, a massive fountain on his front lawn. It was about a third of the size of a football field.
The fountain was surrounded by approximately 60 (if I remember well) huge rocks that were 8 x 4 feet. The center had also these huge fountains that made a massive and very cool screen for a projector.
He said he spent the 300k on the stones themselves. However, what he was failing to realize, is that finding someone as excited as he was about it. It would be extremely difficult. Let alone pay extra for it, especially after they discovered the maintenance cost. Keep this in mind when you are planning on “upgrading” anything in your home and ask yourself. How much does it cost to sell a house? Since this would be like shooting yourself in the foot.
Listing your home: How much does it cost to sell your house
1. Selling Commissions
This means the 6% most agents charge in the country today. However, there are new alternatives now, like Our Property Team. With the use of technology and a team of local professionals, you can sell your house as a realtor would, minus the commissions, and for a small flat fee instead. I know, about time, right?
If you decide you do not mind paying a realtor extra tens of thousands for no reason. Ensure you negotiate the following items already included with Our Property Team at no extra cost. Or you could end up having to pay for them yourself. Or even worse, not sell your property fast and for top dollar because you missed the basics and most important things without realizing it.
I am talking about professional photography, videography, and 3D tours. Did you know? Professionally photographed homes sell 35% faster and for about 15k more. Why? There are several reasons, one being that professional photographers do not just have very expensive equipment. But also their trained eye is unmatchable. I mean, they do this every single day.
Another very important reason is that the top real estate sites, like Our Property Team, Zillow, etc…. Feature and prioritize listings with either or both 3D tours and professional videography. To read more, click “here“. Look at the image below, which shows the difference between professional real estate photography, and just using a smartphone.
Closing the deal: How much does it cost to sell a house
Seller Closing Costs
Please note the word “Seller.” as there are also buyer closing costs.” Since sometimes buyers ask the seller to pay for the buyers’ closing costs. Agreeing to this is completely up to you, but below, we will go into more detail about it.
Whether you are using a Real Estate agent Or going FSBO For Sale By Owner. Closing costs are never included in your “listing fee.” They are always extra and have to be paid no matter what. And their cost ranges from 1% to 3% of the total sale of the home.
Buyer Closing Costs
As I mentioned before, it is not uncommon for a buyer to ask a seller to cover their costs. This can be done for a different number of reasons. It is a buyer’s market, which means that there are so many houses on the market and not enough buyers (not the case in 2022). Or it can happen simply because the buyer does not have the money to be able to afford these. Whatever the case, make sure to find out why they are asking you to cover these costs.
If you end up paying for the buyer’s closing costs. Then you may even be welcome during the home inspection. To learn more, read: “Should sellers be present at home inspections.”
These costs can usually range from 1.5% to 2% of the total of the sale.
3. Mortgage Payoff
Before we can say that the transaction has been completed or is “done.” You have to pay your mortgage off entirely. Usually, this is done with the funds transferred from the seller for the purchase of the home.
If the payoff amount doesn’t include prorated interest. You will most likely have to pay the lender the remaining balance.
Also, the contract with your lender might have a “prepayment penalty.” This means you will have to pay your lender for paying your mortgage early. These penalties usually range between 2% and 4%. According to Realtor.com.
Relocating: How much does it cost to sell a house
Overlapping Costs
There are many different scenarios for this one. Maybe you already closed on your next home and are already paying the ownership rights for it. This means you can be paying for two mortgages, utility costs, HOA fees, property taxes, and homeowners insurance. It is important to remember all of this and add it to your budget.
Maybe you haven’t found your next home. In that case. You need to make sure to budget for living arrangements while you find your next home. There are many things you could do. You could stay at a hotel or Airbnb, or you may even be able to find a month-to-month rental. This last one is a great option since you are not tied to anything and do not have to worry about the big expenses a hotel may include.
Moving Costs
While they may seem obvious, it is important to keep them on top of your mind, as they can bring your costs up a lot if you leave them at last. It is hard to put a number on this, especially since there are a couple of questions you need to answer before knowing the overall expenses.
- Moving distance
- Load size
- Hiring movers or DIY
If you want to get very technical and organized. The distance traveled is very important since the higher the mileage, the more fuel consumption, wear of your vehicle, etc…
The load size also affects the fuel consumption of a vehicle. This is why professional movers charge more the larger the distance and load size.
This one is completely up to you and the value you see in hiring professionals or doing it on your own. According to HomeAdvisor. The moving fees for hiring professionals, including packaging, loading, unloading, etc. A three-bedroom house locally ranges between $871 to $1000.
When you DIY (Do It Yourself). You can just use your truck. If you do not have one, renting one from the moving giant Uhaul is always an option. You can rent a truck for a full day for as little as $20 (plus gas and extra miles). This is considering you are okay with packing, coordinating, and carrying everything on your own.
It is important to note and remember. According to HomeAdvisor, moving during the summer months is more expensive overall. However, if you live in a place where it snows, the likelihood of a home selling faster and for more during summer is also higher.
In Conclusion: How Much Does it Cost to Sell a House
The expenses of selling your home always include more than just the realtor fees or any selling expenses you have. A good rule of thumb is about 10% overall. (Less when using Our Property Team).
The expenses vary not just from state to state, especially since some states or cities require by law, different inspections, taxes, etc… But they are also different from one transaction to the other. Even if you live in a cookie-cutter house, the likelihood of the experience being the same as your neighbors is not that big. So it is good to be prepared for all of this. Use Our “Free Home Sale Calculator”.
